Winter Park City Commissioner Karen Diebel, a congressional candidate for the 24^th district in Florida, recently signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge for her race. This is one of the more closely watched, and hotly contested seats in the Sunshine State, and the district has received some national attention over the last few weeks due to issues ranging from NASA to Health Care reform legislation.

Diebel, who has served as Winter Park City Commissioner since 2007, is running in the GOP Primary for the chance to unseat Democratic Freshman Rep. Suzanne Kosmas. Cook Political Report rates the contest as a “toss-up”, and classifies the seat as an R+4 on their PVI index, one of many Republican leaning districts currently being held by a Democrat. The incumbent, Suzanne Kosmas, was one of the crucial “undecided” votes leading up to the final vote on the Senate Health Care bill that passed the House by merely four votes Sunday. Kosmas, with her “yes” vote, joined President Obama in violating his pledge not to increase taxes on those making less than $250,000. The vote was even more telling of Kosmas’ commitment to the working families in Florida in that less than a week after voting for a bill that will lead to increased job losses, Florida’s unemployment rate hit a record high 12.2%.

As a pledge signer, Commissioner Diebel has made a commitment to the taxpayers in Florida that she will fight to ensure that their taxes are not increased by an out-of-touch and out-of-control Congress that has shouldered trillions of debt on Florida’s working families. Congresswoman Kosmas is not a pledge-signer, but we here at ATR encourage her and all candidates in FL-24 to follow suit and pledge to the taxpayers that they will do their part in fighting on behalf of the interests of those who elect them.

Karen Diebel (R-Fla.) Signs the Taxpayer Protection Pledge

Congressional candidate promises to protect taxpayers’ wallets

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Karen Diebel, a Republican running in Florida’s 24^th Congressional district, recently signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge sponsored by Americans for Tax Reform (ATR). The Pledge commits signers to “oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rates for individuals and/or businesses … and oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates.”

 

ATR has offered the Pledge to all candidates for federal office since 1987. To date, 34 U.S. senators and 172 members of the U.S. House of Representatives have signed the Pledge. Additionally, seven Governors and over 1,100 state legislators have signed the Pledge.

 

“After the passage of the so-called “Stimulus Package,” better known as the Pelosi-Obama-Reid Spending Give-Away, Americans are desperately searching for candidates and politicians that will protect their livelihoods and put their wallets ahead of the federal government’s coffers,” said Grover Norquist, president of ATR.

 

“By signing the Pledge, Karen Diebel demonstrates that she understands the problems of hard-working taxpayers nationwide, but especially the taxpayers in Florida’s 24^th Congressional district.”

 

“I challenge all candidates for federal office to make the same commitment to taxpayers by signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge today,” Norquist continued.